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This Sliding Bar can be switched on or off in theme options, and can take any widget you throw at it or even fill it with your custom HTML Code. Its perfect for grabbing the attention of your viewers. Choose between 1, 2, 3 or 4 columns, set the background color, widget divider color, activate transparency, a top border or fully disable it on desktop and mobile.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Founder: Craig Candelore

Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret) Army Active & Reserves:

After graduating from U.S. Military Academy, West Point in Engineering, Mr. Craig Candelore served five years on active duty as an Army officer. Leaving active duty, Craig graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law, Cum Laude in 1984. After law school, Craig concluded his Masters in Systems Management at the University of Southern California. Craig established his own Family law firm in downtown San Diego where he has served the community ever since. He supervises four attorneys and nine staff.

He served in the Army Reserves reaching the rank of Colonel before retiring in 2008. Assignments have included: Senior Regional Army Reserve Law Enforcement and Anti-Terrorism Officer for the tri-states of California, Nevada and Arizona. When called to active duty, he deployed in the service of his country for both Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In OIF, he was in charge of Iraqi Police Development. He received the Combat Action Badge and was awarded the Bronze Star. Craig completed the Naval War College Certificate.

Craig is a lifetime member of VFW Post 3787 and founder of the non-profit Honoring Our Troops, which addresses veteran legal needs via a monthly legal clinic and seminar.

Board: Alan Lerchbacker

Mr. Lerchbacker graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1974. His 22 year career in the Navy was as an Engineering Duty Officer. He graduated from the US Naval Diving & Salvage Training Center, after he completed his Master’s Degree in Monterey at the Naval Post Graduate School in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture. He spent most of his career in the Navy in Naval Shipyards or in the Navy Diving and Special Operations Community. He was a Navy Aquanaut and served as part of the highly classified saturation deep diving program.

Mr. Lerchbacker was the officer in Charge of the Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51L recovery operations, where he led his team of over 120 divers, 33 ships, and over 3000 NASA personnel to search the 452 square miles of the ocean for the Challenger debris.

He taught Mechanical Engineering and coached men’s volleyball when he returned to his Alma Mater from 1986 to 1988. While an instructor at the Naval Academy, he was sent to lead Special Operations teams in combat to recover a high value asset off the Iranian Coast.

After retirement, Mr. Lerchbacker served as the Assistant Chief Operating Officer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. While in this capacity, he also earned his MBA at Claremont University, the Peter Drucker School of Business. He then became the Chief Operating Officer for a Business Incubator, growing it from 10 companies to 54, and launching 14 companies. He then served as the President of Taylor Dunn in Anaheim, California. Taylor Dunn was the largest producer of electric vehicles in the United States.

In 2000, Mr. Lerchbacker moved to Australia to learn from the Australians their ideas on shipyards and commercial shipbuilding. He was then transferred to Mobile, Alabama, where he became the first CEO for Austal USA. He built this shipyard from 66 men and women to over 1200 employees, with an apprentice program of over 100. Mr. Lerchbacker then formed the team of General Dynamics, Boeing and Austal USA to win the contract to build the Littoral Combat Ships for the Navy; a $38B contract.

Currently, Mr. Lerchbacker is the President and CEO for Naval Coatings Inc., a company that has been the leader in the blasting and painting of Navy Ships since 1979 here in San Diego.

Board: Ken Robinson

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.): over 34 years’ military service in active/Guard/Reserves. Former enlisted Supply SGT; Armor Officer and Transportation Corps Officer serving in various positions. Served in an Armor Battalion as a Transportation Platoon Leader, Combat Support Company Commander, Headquarters Company Commander. Served in a Deployment Brigade as the Maintenance Officer, Assistant Supply Officer, and as a Transportation Team Chief. Veteran of Vietnam War and Gulf War.

Civilian Bio – over 18 years in aerospace industry (General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin). Served in various positions: Factory Product Line Management, Factory Supervisor, Cost and Finance Management. Over 14 years in federal government as a Logistician. Provided effective management of an enterprise resource planning project; advised and coordinated re-warehousing; established 12 training class rooms and scheduled over 700 classes for over 4,000 employees. Managed Navy submarine C4iSR logistics certifications packages and products for installation.

Board: Dale Santee

Colonel (ret) Dale W. Santee received a BA in Economics, Russian, and Political Science, from Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, PA; a JD, from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law, Pittsburgh, PA; a MA in Psychology/Counseling, from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ; and, completed additional military and management education in various institutions worldwide.

Colonel Santee served on active duty as an Air Force Judge Advocate from January 7, 1979 to August 8, 1983. After leaving active duty, he served as a reserve JAG in numerous positions and locations worldwide deploying numerous times. He also served as an adjunct instructor at the AF JAG School, Montgomery, AL and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, San Remo, Italy. Colonel (ret) Santee left active duty to take a position with the Department of Veterans Affairs where he was a senior staff legal adviser (GS14) with the Board of Veterans Appeals from September 1983 through July 1989. From August 1990 to March 2013, Colonel (ret) Santee was a Deputy Public Defender and Deputy Alternate Public Defender for San Diego County, California.

Colonel Santee’s numerous military awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit; The Judge Advocates Association Outstanding Career Armed Services Attorney Award; US Jaycees Outstanding Young Man in America; TJAGCR Junior Officer Council Mentor of the Year; Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster; Air Force Achievement Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal with two bronze stars; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border; and, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 5 ‘M’ devices. He was also recognized as the Fourth Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate of the Year and the Air Force Reserve Command Reserve Judge Advocate of the Year and received the ABA Legal Assistance for Military Personnel Distinguished Service Award (Team PACAF).

Board: Betsy Heller

Former Major, US Army Reserves: Betsy Heller, founder of Achievers Realty, based in Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego is a 24-year real estate industry veteran with trusted real estate expertise into the San Diego market. In the last three years, Achievers Realty closed an impressive $40 million dollars in real estate transactions.

Throughout her career, Betsy Heller has been exceptional in many diverse aspects of the real estate industry and specializes in residential real estate, investments, land sales, commercial real estate, short sales, foreclosures, multi-family residential real estate, 1031s and equity exchanges.

Betsy Heller has been a San Diego native for the last 26 years and a full time Realtor for the last 24 years. She studied Engineering at the University of Maryland and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering. Betsy Heller served in the United States Army Reserves for 22 years as a Military Police Officer and attained Rank of Major. She also attended the United States Army Airborne School. Betsy Heller has been happily married for 25 years and has 3 teenage boys. Her favorite hobbies include spending time with family, horseback riding, hiking, swimming, reading and enjoying a challenging Sudoku puzzle!

Honoring Our Troops (HRT) is a San Diego based 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated to addressing the unique needs of veterans through self-help legal clinics, veteran-oriented seminars, and mentorships, which empower the lives of veterans and their families.